Bottle washer



Jam, 1942. P. c. READ 2,258,900

' BOTTLE WASHER l Filed Sept. 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m l 'H +5 9 4MM? A Jan.,6,v1942. I P. READ 2,268,900

BOTTLE WASHER Filed Sept. 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5l". www@ fg f 11W/1p E. E950 solution to loosen foreign materialsifrorn the bot-` lthe yhousing.

Patentedy Jan. 6, v1942 :4,268,900 v l y f BOTTLE WASHER t Philip "C. Read, Shorewood, Wi's` assigner. to j Dostal & Lowey` Co., Inc., vMenomonee Falls, -Wis., a corporation of'Wiscons'in Application September 19, 1940,'SferiarlfNo. 357,341

6 claims. (ci. 1414-7) This finvention 'relates :to bottle Washersy .and more particularly to Washers of the soakerhydro-type.

` These Washers-effect 'cleaning and 'sterilizationy 'of bottleslby a combination oisoa'king in caustic ties, and 'thereafter high-:pressure spraying of vcaustic 'solution 'into lthe interiors of bottles as Well as the exterior's thereof. Such treatment is, of course, followed by aclean Water rinse.

Washers of this type Igenerally eniploygan feridless 'conveyor 'having 'its stretches varranged .horizontally lengthwise of the housing of the "washer 'With lthe `bottom stretch Aof the' conveyor immersed in the hot caustic' solution in `the fsoa'ker tank at fthe 'bottom Vof the housing and 'the top Aor uppermost stretch thereof arranged to -travel above'the level of solution in .The conveyorisfprovided With carrier bars,

preferably of the type vWhich ,grip and hold Vbot'- tles by their :necks and which `conduct thebottles Eto tbe cleansedinto 'the alkali lsolui'fion at one 'end 'of the conveyor with `their mouths'upper-most s'o that the bottles l'are `soaked as the .preliniinary rcleaning operation "during their travel `on the lower stretch of the conveyor.

The bottles are lifted outoi the causticysolution at the'foppositeend lof the conveyor `for travel'to the unloading station, 4which -is' usually :adj acent' t'o 'the inist-mentioned -end of .the conveyor, -in an inverted `position so that Asolution drains itherefrom.

During their Vtravel to the unloading station, the soaked bottles have their interiors -as Well as "their 'eXteriors'l-subjected to vhigh-pressure lsprayin'gfof causticisolution to dislodge all loosened foreign material from the bottles. Immediately before "being unloaded, the lbottles are sprayedinteriorly and 'exteriorly with 'fresh `Water away the causticsolution therev from.

inasmuch asthebottles are heldin an :inverted position during their travel on the top *stretchof "the conveyor, "the spray 'means for the interiors "of the bottles *which are ,of the high-'pressure 'rising fje't type must `fbe located b'eneath :the top stretch of the conveyor, and-the nozzlesithe'reof VVare'Icons'equently Asubject to clogging Joy .labels and other' toreign 'material washed "from "the bottles oy the external spray means located above "the top vstret'chof -the conveyor, or by solidsubstances Ain the liquid passing through rthe nozf-zles.

'When'such a condition occurred, it was necessary `to either dismantle -a considerable portion of "the washer Ahousing `toprovide access vto the 'nozzleheader for its 'removal and cleaning, vor to reach into v'the crowded interior of the 'Washer through suitable doorways `thereinfto clean the nozzles While the lheaders remained in pl'a`ce. Consequently, considerable "time and 'effort Was required to clean the jets of the noz- -zle headers located beneath the top'stretoh of vthe bon-veyor; f Y f The present invention, therefore, has as its primary 'object'the provision of rising jet nozzle headers-:for a bottlel washer of the character,

kdescribed which `are readily removed lfrorntl'ie 'housing'o'ffthe washer for inspection; orcleaning through* an opening vin the' side VWall of the housing.

More specifically, :this invention contemplates ltheprovisionof a`bottle vvasl'ierhavingA arising v V.jet lnozzle .header "mounted for vpivotal motion 4beneath the ltop lstretch oi the conveyor for swinging "motion in aplane substantially par- :allel to `the `stre'tchesfof the-conveyor froman operative 'position beneath theV mouths of `the inverted bottles on the top A'stretch of thecon'-v veyor to an inoperative cleaning position eX- .teriorly ofthe 'housing of the washer through .anfop'ening in onesideiwall. of the housing.

.A Vfurther object of this invention is to pro- 'videabottlev Washer of the character described with a.1nozzle header mounted for pivotal motion ft'o and 'from any operative spraying position with respect to the bottles conducted through the Washer by the conveyor Without .necessitating disconnection of thel header "liquid under pressure;

Ina'srnuch-'as the nozzles `of vthe rising jet spray header which effect Washing orf rinsing of the' fbot'tl'e linteriors Withfresh Water are also sub- 'ject to clogging, this invention has'as another o'f`its objects to provide for quick removal of fthe lfresh 4Water rising 'jet header .through an 'openingin lthe side walll of the housing 'forinyspectionV and cleaning 'of 'thenozzlesoi the same.

Witl'r theabove v'and otheriobjects in View Which will appear as thedescription proceeds, this inventionresides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of'parts substantially as vhereinafter described, and more particul larly dene'dby" the "appended claims, it'being understoodfthat such changes 'in the precise embodiment-'ofthe hereindis'closed invention may ibe made as come Within the scope of the claims. The accoinpanying' drawings illustrate two 'complete eXarnp-leslof the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordancewith 4Vligure`2`is `a sectional View through -Figure 1,

'taken aon the plane of the line 2--2 f EigureS is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the rising 'jet spray headers 'are with its source` of moved to their inoperative positions exteriorly of the washer; and

Figure 4 illustrates a slightly modiiied arrangement of the caustic rising jet spray headers.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 3 designates a conventional washer of the soaker hydro type, only a portion of which isshown. The housing 4, is in the form of an elongated enclosure, and has a soaker tank 5 in its bottom adapted to hold a supply of caustic alkali solution to the level designated by the broken line 6.

An endless conveyor 1 is mounted inside the housing and is provided with the usual bottle carrier bars extending transversely of the conveyor, which, preferably, grip bottles by their necks and hold the same so that their mouths face each other on opposite stretches of the conveyor. The conveyor is positioned horizontally within the housing so that its top stretch 8 travels in a plane spaced above the level 6 of solution in the tank and so that its lower stretch 9 is immersed in the solution.

As viewed in Figure l, the direction of travel of the conveyor is such that the bottles immersed in the solution travel toward the right, and are lifted out of the solution as the conveyor reverses to be held in an inverted position at the top stretch of the conveyor for travel toward the left in the direction of the arrow to the unloading station, not shown.

During reversing of the travel of the bottles, and as they are brought to their inverted position, all of the caustic solution is emptied therefrom, and they are caused to pass between a plurality of spray headers having jets arranged to spray liquid under substantially high pressure both on the exterior of the bottles and the interiors thereof.

The rst set of such headers, between which the bottles are conducted, is supplied with a caustic solution similar to the solution in the soaker tank and comprises an upper header unit III and a lower header unit II of the rising jet type. The header unit I0 is of conventional type and consists merely in two pipes connected with a common source of caustic solution, extending transversely across the housing and having a plurality of nozzles, not shown, in their undersides to completely spray the exteriors of the bottles carried by the carrier bars of the conveyor.

The header unit II, however, due to its position beneath the inverted bottles, is subject to the effects of foreign material cleansed from the botposed in predetermined spaced relationship so as to be spaced apart a distance equal to the transverse spacing of the bottles on the conveyor when the header is in operative position beneath the bottles, and one such nozzle header is provided for each longitudinal row of bottles conducted 7 through the washer by the conveyor. The nozzles I4 of, the nozzle headers have longitudinal spacing equal to the space between transverse rows of bottles on the conveyor so that the interior of each bottle may receive a forceful spray o caustic solution from the nozzles of the header unit II as they pass thereover.

The solution sprayed by the headers I0 and II is maintained separately of the solution 6. For this purpose, a tank I5 is provided between the conveyor stretches with its bottom beneath the header units I0 and II.

The header unit I I is movably supported in the tank I5 by means of a nipple IB fixed in a vertical position to the underside of the terminal header member I2 at one end thereof adjacent to one of the side walls I'I of the housing, and which carries a pipe fitting such as an elbow I8 threaded on its lower end and resting on the bottom wall of the tank I5. The threaded connection between the nipple and elbow is substantially loose to permit relative rotation of the connected header unit and nipple with respect to the elbow.

The nipple IB is journalled in a bearing I3 carried by the side wall I'I of the housing and which constrains movement of the header to bodily swinging motion on a vertical axis adjacent to the side wall I1 of the housing.

Thus the header I I may be swung horizontally from its operative position in which the nozzle headers I3 extend longitudinally of the housing beneath the top stretch of the conveyor to an inoperative position exteriorly of the machine as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 through an opening 20 in the side wall I'I of the housing.

The elbow I8 remains substantially stationary during such swinging motion of the header unit due to the friction between it and the bottom wall of the tank I5. A supply line 2I is connected with the elbow to supply caustic solution to the header unit, and also aids in holding the elbow against rotation during pivotal motion of the header unit. As it is preferable that the supply line be formed of rubber, a clamp 22 carried by the bottom wall of the tank I5 is arranged to grip the rubber hose directly adjacent `to its connection with the elbow.

To insure accurate positioning of the header unit I I inside the housing, the undersides of the lfree ends of the nozzle headers I3 remote from their connection with the terminal header member I2 are joined by a crossbar '23 adapted to rest on a transverse support 24 fixed inside the housing, and which carries a stop 25 engaged by the inner end of the crossbar 23. The nozzle headers I3 are thus readily aligned with the longitudinal rows of bottles carried by the conveyor, by means of the stop 25 which limits pivotal motion of the header unit to its operative position inside the housing after inspection of the nozzles thereof.

The support 24 also prevents sagging of the outer end of the nozzle headers as will be apparent.

For convenience in inspecting the nozzles, the crossbar 23 is provided with a handle 26 at its outer end which is located directly adjacent to the opening 20 when the header II is in its operative position within the housing. Thus, for inspection of the header II, the operator grasps the handle 2B after shutting off the supply of caustic solution to the header and swings the entire header unit outwardly through the opening 20 to the position illustrated in Figures 2 and the opening 34.-

3, where alliof its nozzles maybe inspected; and: cleaned.

As will' be readily apparent, such inspection re'- quires but' a minimurnof time, as it isrunnec'e'ssary for the operator to partiallyv dismantle the housing to gain access to the header.

If it is desired that the caustic solution rising jet header unit be prcvi'ded'with more nozzles; a modified'. construction. such. as illustrated in Figure 4 may be usedE to'advanta'ge.

In this form of the invention,. thet rising jet caustic spray' header' unitrv comprises twof pivotally mountedv header sections and 3|` each similarto the header unit H described in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, but having nozzle headersot' varying lengths; although they may be: of equal lengthif` preferred.

As clearly seen inv Figure 4:, each' of. these sec'- tions includes transverse terminal header members 32 and 3'3v having their ends adjacent tothe enlarged opening 34 in' the sidewall I1' of. the housing' pivotally connected as at 35 in the manner' described in connection with` the header unit of Figure 1.

The nozzle headers of each sectionv areA joinedl to the terminal header members in' the same manner as hereinbefore described and project to# ward each other longitudinally of the housing so as to substantially span the space between the terminal headers.

As stated, however, the nozzle headers' are of varying lengths, with the longest nozzle header of the section 30 at the side*y of the housing opposite" The remaining'nozzle' headers of this section decrease inf length progressively toward the opening 34'. l

The longest nozzle header of the section 3lis adjacent totheopenifng 34, and the remaining nozzle headers thereof progressively decrease in length toward the side oi" the housing' opposite the opening 34. Thus, when it is desired to inspect or clean the nozzles of the units, bothsections are simultaa neously swung on their pivots 35- to?V positions eX- teriorly of theh'ousing as illustrated in construction lines, through the opening 34y i-rr the side wall thereof. v

As in the previous embodiment. each ot the sections 3i! and 31', has a crossbar 36l connecting the undersides of the nozzle headers and adapted to rest on a transverse support-3f1inside the-housingl when the sections are in their operative posii tions. The linner ends of the crossbars 3B likewise engage stationary stops-38- carried by the supports 31 to accurately position; the nozzle' headers andinsure alignment thereof with the longitu; dinal rows of bottles carried: by theconveyor.v

After the bottles on the' top stretch of the conveyor pass the rising jetcaustic spray header lor headers,` they are conducted betweeny fresh" wa: ter spray header units 4!)y and 4|` at the top and underside ot the bottlesrespectively.

The top header unit is? composed of two sections, V42 and 43, for warm and coldw-ater, respecti-vely.v Thus the bottles first are brought beneath the warm water section 42 to effect a gradual` coolingl thereof, inasmuch as the caustic spraying headers are adapted to have hot solutionl sprayed onto the bottles.

The spray unit 4| likewise comprises two sets of headers, 44 and 45, each comprising two nozzle headers 46 and 4'!f respectively for warm and cold water. 'I'he nozzle headers 46Y and 4"!v are carried by end plates 48 and 49 at their inner and outer ends respectively so that the nozzle headers lie transversely of; the: conveyor, and are spaced: apart a distancer equal to the spacing between transversetA rows: of bottles onthe conveyor;

The endplate 49v overlie's the exterior wall l1 of the housing and` closes an opening 50 therein through; which the'l unit 4I may be withdrawn upon disconnecting the headers'tromtheir sources' of water as illustrated in Figure. 3".

' As clearly shown in this figure, the outer-'ends housing, it is only necessary to shut off the Water suppl-y to the nozzle headers by means of a. valve arrangement 51.', remove'the screws which ,secure the end plate 49 tothe side wall IT' of thev housing; and disconnect the nozzle' headers 46'V and 41 by means' ofv the' pipel connections 52 and 55 from their sourcesof water and draw the4 uniti out from the housing' through the openingv 5I), in the sidewall Il thereof.

It willi be seen, therefore, that the risingI jet spray units' 4I1 maybe removedV with considerable less expenditure of timer and. effort than in past devices wherei'nvportions' of the housing: had to be removed to provide access to thel stationary mounted headerv units.

From the foregoing description taken in con.- nection' with the accompanying drawings, i't willy be readily apparent that this invention enables a considerable' saving in time and eiiort through the novel mannerv of mounting the header' units for ready removal from: the housing of the washer and thereby enables more frequent inspection and cleansing of the nozzles .to insure eflicientcleaning of the bottles. I y

What I claim as' my invention is:

1l. In a bottlev washer of` the character lde-A scribed: a housing having top and bottom Walls connected by straight side walls to define a treat'- are conducted along a defined substantially'hori# zontal path; a horizontal nozzle header unit in said housing adjacentto said treatment zone having a plurality of nozzles arranged to spray liquid toward the `bottles being conductedy through said treatment zone; and means wholly inside the housing for pivotal'ly mounting said nozzle header unit from the housing for swinging: movement thereof in` a plane substantially parallel to the path ofA travel of the bottles from an operative spraying position within said treatmenty zone to) an inoperative position exteriorly of the housing: through a cut out portion in one of the side walls of the housing, said means including a nipplel having one end connected with the nozzle header unit and' its other end connected with a source of liquid.-

2'. In a bottle washer of' the character de# scribedr' a housing' having' top' and bottornwalls connected by straight side walls, and" having; means rfor conducting inverted bottles in= trans-f verse rows longitudinally through the housing ort a substantiallyl horizontal plane; a nozzle header.

or the,` nozzle headers 46'l projectingr outside the" ment zone vthrough which bottles to be cleansed l unit disposed horizontally inthe housing beneath' the mouths of the inverted bottles and having a plurality of transverse rows of nozzles arranged to spray liquid under pressure up into the mouths of the bottles conducted past the header units; means inside the housing connected to the nozzle header unit for conducting fluid under pressure to .said header unit and consequently the nozzles thereof, said means including a nipple xed at one end to the header unit so as to depend vertically therefrom adjacent to one side wall of the housing, and a tting threaded substantially loosely on the other end of the nipple so as to permit a degree of relative rotation cf the nipple with respect thereto and resting on a part on the interior of the housing; and means on the inner side of said side wall providing a bearing to rotatably receive a portion of the nipple, whereby the header unit maybe swung on the vertical axis of the nipple to an inoperative position exteriorly of the housing through an opening cut in said side wall of the housing for inspection and cleaning ofv the nozzles of the header unit.

3. In a bottle washer of the character described: a housing having top and bottom walls connected by straight side walls one of which is provided with an opening, and having means for conducting inverted bottles in transverse rows longitudinally through the housing on a substantially horizontal plane and at a level above that of said opening; a nozzle header unit disposed horizontally in the housing beneath the mouths of the inverted bottles and in alignment with said opening, said nozzle header unit having a plurality of transverse rows of nozzles arranged to spray liquid under pressure up into the mouths of the bottles conducted past the header unit; means for conducting fluid under pressure to said header unit and consequently the nozzles thereof, said means including a nipple Xed at one end to the header unit so as to depend vertically therefrom adjacent to the inner side of said side Wall of the housing having the opening, and a fitting threaded substantially loosely on the other end of the nipple so as to permit a degree of relative rotation of the nipple with respect thereto and resting on a portion on the interior of the housing; means on the interior of the housing providing a bearing to rotatably receive a portion of the nipple, said last-named means l;

constraining the header unit to bodily swinging movement on the Vertical axis of the nipple through said opening to and from an operative spraying position inside the housing; and means in the housing engaged by the nozzle header unit and cooperating with said tting threaded on the nipple to properly support the nozzle header unit Within the housing in alignment with said 4. In a bottle washer of the character described: a housing having top and bottom walls connected by straight side Walls one of which is provided with an opening, and having means for conducting bottles in transverse rows therethrough on a substantially horizontal plane and at a level above that of said opening; opposed nozzle header units disposed horizontally in the housing in alignment with said opening, each having a plurality of transverse rows of nozzles arranged to spray liquid under pressure toward the bottles conducted past the units; and means for pivotally mounting each of said nozzle header units for bodily swinging motion on a vertical axis inside the housing and adjacent to one end of said opening for movement from operative spraying positions inside the housing to inoperative vpositions exteriorly of the housing through said opening, said means including a nipple for each of the nozzle header units connected at one end to said nozzle header units and having their opposite ends connected with a source of liquid.

5. In a bottle washer of the character described: a housing having top and bottom walls connected by straight side walls one of which is provided with a longitudinally elongated opening, and having means for conducting inverted bottles in transverse rows longitudinally through the housing on a substantially horizontal plane and at a level above that of said opening; a header unit disposed horizontally in the housing in alignment with said opening, said header unit comprising a transverse terminal header member having its end opposite said opening closed, a plurality of longitudinal' nozzle headers connected at one end to said terminal header member so as to be supplied with fluid therefrom and each having nozzles arranged to spray liquid under pressure into the mouths of bottles conducted past the header unit, and a Vertical tubular extension at the other end of the terminal header member adjacent to the inner side of said side wall and one of the longitudinal limits of the opening therein; a bearing on the inner side of said side Wall of the housing rotatably receiving said vertical extension of the terminal header member to providefor swinging of the header unit on a vertical axis interiorly of the housing from its operative position within the housing through said opening to an inoperative position exteriorly of the housing at which the nozzle headers may be inspected and cleaned; and means connecting the end of the vertical extension opposite the terminal header member with a 'source of uid under pressure.

6. In a bottle washer of the character described: a housing havingtop and bottom walls connected by straight side walls one of rwhich is provided with a longitudinally elongated opening, and having mean-s for conducting inverted bottles in transverse rows longitudinally through the housing on a substantially horizontal plane and at a level above that of said opening; a header unit disposed horizontally in the housing in alignment with said opening, said header unit comprising a transverse terminal header member having its end opposite said opening closed, a plurality of longitudinal nozzle headers connected at one end to said terminal header member so as to be supplied with fluid therefrom and each having nozzles arranged to spray liquid under pressure into the mouths of bottles conducted past the header unit, and a vertical tubular extension at the other end of the terminal header member adjacent to the inner side of said side wall and one of the longitudinal limits of the opening therein; a bearing on the inner side of said side wall of the housing rotatably receiving said vertical 4extension of the terminal header member to provide for swinging of the header unit on a vertical axis interiorly of the housing from its operative position within the housing through said opening to an inoperative position eXteriorly of the housing at which the nozzle headers may be inspected and cleaned; and means connecting the end of the vertical extension opposite the terminal header member with a source of fluid under pressure, said last named means including a flexible conduit.

PHILIP C. READ.

CERTIFICATE CE CORRECTION. l Patent No. 2,268,900. January 6, 19m.

` vPHILIP C. .READV` v It is hereb;T certified that error appears in the printed specification of' the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page LI, first column, line 58, Claim 5, after "said" insert opening.-; and that -the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the seme may conform to the 'record of the Case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of Februry, A. D. l9lJ.2.

v Henry Van Arsdal-e,

(Seal) n Acting Commissioner of IPatents. 

